The Ballad of The Moon
by kaoruyo
Summary: Another OS I wrote in between a lecture *forgive me sir*. Don't have much to say. Enjoy!


"Why did you stop?"

Rena turned her face away. She's not ready for such question. The question that has lingered on her all this time. The same question she couldn't find the answer for.

"Why, Rena?"

Those demanding pair of dark-brown orbs never change. All this years, it's still the same. Mesmerizing, dazzling, charming, you name it. Any other way, it completely stunned Rena, got her in a trance.

"Rena, won't you answer me?"

'_No, I can't_.'

Ignoring the persistent grip of the calloused hand on her shoulder, Rena ran away. Snapped the counteract who began calling her name.

World seems blurry, things are spinning, she began to loss consciousness. Rena never good with sports. Even though she doesn't have low blood-pressure, she would get dizzy every time she spent too much energy. Not to say running from the bus stop 1 km to her apartment's door.

She looked around, make sure no one's around. Quickly, she put the key of her apartment and went in. Right after she stepped on the tatami floor, she collapsed. The encounter she just had was... nerve-wracking. It was totally unexpected.

For several minutes, Rena stayed still. Hands caressing her arms, head leaned on the wall. After one long sigh, she decided a glass of fresh water would fresh her occupied mind.

Rena took a large glup and sighed one more time.

"Why are you running away from me?"

Rena dropped her glasses, which fell down to the ground and broke. It's gleaming pieces shattered on the floor.

Slowly, Rena turned around. Met her eyes was a frown combined with wrinkled eyebrows. A mix expression of worry, confusion, and disappointment.

"I..."

Her throat suddenly felt dry, despite the fact she just took a glass of water. The other counteract widen her eyes, waiting for an answer.

"How could you enter my apartment?"

"Through the front door, what else?" said her like it was the most natural thing that could happen in this universe.

'_But I locked it!_'

Rena decided to call it off and instead started to clean the mess she just made.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

Another question which left unanswered.

"Are you mad at me?"

The girl gripped Rena's shoulder, turned her around and forced her to pay attention to her.

"I'm sorry if I did wrong, but please stop ignoring me." pleaded her.

A staring contest went along for awhile. Finally, Rena gave up. The loud thump of her heart couldn't be suppressed anymore. She was excited, to be honest.

Rena stood up and glanced at the unfinished job, then make a mental note to finish it later on.

"No, I'm not mad at you nor ignoring you. I'm just surprised. And shocked." _you suddenly came up out of nowhere_.

The other girl turned her head down, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave."

Rena gazed at the girl in front of her, images flashed in her mind. The moment when they first met in the school rooftop, her cheery smile that always manage to ease her worries, the moment when their band joined the culture festival, the girl's graduation, and... the accident.

"So... Why did you stop singing?" Those gaze was just like how Rena remembered. She can't stand it yet she couldn't averted her gaze. That gaze... was Yuko's.

_The gymnasium was hype-up. People cheering. Confetti floating in the air._

_On the stage, were three girls, each handling different instrument. At the back is a raven haired girl, back-length hair, with those round black eyes and overact expression, in her hand was a pair of drum stick. In front of her is another girl, shoulder length brown hair, cheery smile, cute dimple on both side of her cheek, she's the bassist. On the vocal is another girl, taller than the later, around 10 cm taller, straight raven hair, mismatched brown eyes, with electric guitar in her hands. They were smiling to each other. Hard work pays off. Months of practices were finally got them standing on the stage, with people cheering. _

_They, who were labeled trouble makers, the misfit in their society, finally managed to work as a team, performing for other people. It wasn't easy, it never easy. Arguing, fighting, changing fist, they went through that. Along with smile, tears and laughter._

_"Then, this is our final song. Our original song, Moon's Smile! Please listen!"_

_The alluring guitar's sound mesmerized the audience. Followed with the rhythmical note from the guitar bass along the thumping deep sound of the drum. Soon, the lyrics followed. Soft voice of the vocalist sent the audience to the world of dream. The vocalist herself, drifted away to memories._

_Memories, such vague thing that capable in making people go insane. _

_They were on the rooftop of their school. The three of them. They risk being caught running away from the dormitory in the middle of the night, just so they could see the night sky, the stars, and their beloved moon. They were so different from each other. One is the reaction queen, the other is the joker, and the last one is the reserved girl. Suddenly, they were put together. Made as a club. As the crazy teacher suggested. They looked at each other and who knows that they actually can work together as a good team, a wonderful band._

_"Look! It's a falling star!" shouted the drummer._

_The other two looked up and then they prayed, for a wish. The bassist sneered at her two friends, asking what they wish for, which both rejected to spill the beans out. They ended up laughing, until the sky turned bright, and it's time for school._

_The strumming sound of the three instrument filled the gym. Slightly panting. The vocalist glanced around, where the audience still cheering loudly. In the corner of the gym, she found their advisor stood there with teary eyes. They made it. The outcasts of the school finally made their breakthrough._

_She smiled to her teammates. One to the other. Her heart thumped when her eyes met the ignorant pair of eyes. But no. She can't. She can't risk their friendship. Not after she finally found her home._

"So, you're with Yuki now?"

Her voice made Rena flinched. Seeing the other girl caress the photo of her and her current girlfriend, hurt her even more.

"I'm glad. You're perfect together." said her with a smile. Rena couldn't pinpoint whether she was actually glad or she was hurt.

"Yuko-senpai. I..." The words choked her. She want to let out her frustration but she just can't.

"What is it Rena-chan?" That. Those smile, those dimples on her cheek. Rena can't stand this. No, it hurt. She who left too fast. And appeared too sudden.

"Nothing."

The other party's smile dispersed. But soon, it's back.

"Could you tell me? Why did you stop singing?"

Rena's eyes fluttered closed. She shut her eyes tight. Memories came back. Like an old record. She couldn't stand it. The view, the smell, the shouts people made. She couldn't. She must not remember it. The time she spent to make it forgotten was futile. With her sprung out in front of her. All healthy and unchanged.

The world turn black. She heard her screaming.

_It was the graduation day. For the older of the three. The only one who was a senior in their high school._

_She wondered herself whether she had spent the school days as she should be. Many says that high-school is a period of time where you could find joy, friendship, and love._

_Her doubt disappeared as her two best-friend came running while calling her name. It must be embarrassing, but she didn't care. They're the only friends she had. The only people she truly consider as friends._

_"Yo!"_

_Her two friends were out of breath. They did running all the way from the gym to the small hill behind the school building. It was their secret base camp. Other than the school rooftop. Under the ginko tree, was where the three spent countless time of lunch. It didn't bloom at the moment. Not like the sakura tree in the main garden. But still, it was their favorite secret place._

_"Tired?" said her as she raised one of her eyebrows._

_"Here!" The two shouted at the same time. Instead of answering the oldest rhetorical question, they raised their hands. When they open their palm, both had one of the two buttons from their own school blazer._

_She glanced their blazer, each missing a button._

_"What is this?"_

_"A token."_

_"A button to be exact."_

_Again, she raised one of her brows, "it must be me who gave the button__s__ to you, you know."_

_"We're going to exchange the buttons."_

_"But the only one who is going to go is me."_

_The two exchanged gaze. Then, the vocalist speak up, "I'm going for a music school."_

_The senior's eyes widen._

_"Wha-why didn't you tell me?"_

_"I'm sorry. It was hard to tell you two. But I decided to tell you after all. You should know. I'm sorry." She lowered her gaze. The next moment she felt slightly shaken, the other girl hugged her, tight._

_"Amazing, Rena! You finally made it! I'm proud of you." She shook her shoulder that it dizzied her._

_"Yuko-senpai, you make her dizzy." The other party who stayed silence at this time finally spoke, while chuckling._

_"Sorry. I'm just surprised. And happy." She smiled some more. Her cute dimples showed up._

_"Anyway, let's exchanged buttons. Give us your buttons, Yuko!"_

_Laughing, she took out her buttons. One for the drummer, the other for the vocalist. They gave her each a button too, before they exchanged the last buttons._

_Their tokens. Each held two. The token of graduation, and farewell._

The night rolled in. Too fast. Rena wasn't ready.

They were already stood in their high-school rooftop. They managed to go in through the way they made back in high school. A miracle the way is still there after the youngest of them left high school 10 years ago.

"Wuaaaah, it doesn't change at all." She looked around the deserted rooftop. It's still the same. Same door, same floor, same scratches they made when they fight back in high school, same air, things haven't changed. People do.

"Look! The note is still here!" She called Rena, without diverted her eyes from a small note they wrote on the wall.

"Yuko was here, Rena was here, Yuki was here. We were here!" She recited the words line per line. "It sure bring back memories."

Rena smiled. Yes, it is.

"Look! Even the moon is still the same." She looked up to meet the smiling moon. Accompanied with the stars as her guardians.

"You really like the moon, eh? Even until now."

"Yeah. She was beautiful." Like you.

"It indeed beautiful. Different from the sun. Her light isn't hurt to see. We can keep staring at her. All night long."

"Yeah. I don't hate the sun, but the moon is more to my liking. She's imperfect. She's beautiful, kind, and won't hurt you. But she didn't have her own lights. She need the sun to do the job. And then, the imperfection is a part the perfection itself."

"We're kinda like them, aren't we? You're the sun, Yuko-senpai. You light me. You took me out from the darkness. You made me shine."

She blushed. What the younger girl said was truly embarrassing. But it made her happy.

"And Yuki is the stars. She takes care of me. She lights my surrounding. She helped me moved on..." Rena's voice trailed off. The memories of the other girl froze her. Suddenly, it turned chilly.

"Speak about it. Where is she? You had called her, right?"

Rena froze, even more. The feeling came back. She felt numb.

"She won't come."

"Eh?"

"She's died."

This time, she froze.

"She died, a month after your graduation."

_Like any other free day, Yuki went out shopping. It was weekend. She decided to spend this weekend with her new girlfriend. They vowed for each other's company just a few days ago. Yuki knew that her girlfriend had crush with their senior, but she can't help it anymore. She was surprised when Rena said yes._

_"Yes, I'm going there. 10 minutes. Yes. Don't worry. I'll be careful. See ya in 10 minutes, love you." Yuki flipped her cell phone. With wide smile plastered in her face, she walked to the bus stop, totally not expecting that she just had the last conversation with her girlfriend, with Rena._

_The bus arrived as soon as Yuki stepped her feet at the bus stop. Along with other passenger, she ride the bus. However, before reaching any seats, she felt something cold on her neck, and something soft pulled her down, and gradually choking her._

_"MOVE OUT!"_

_A harsh voice followed with a gun bang filled the small bus._

_"DRIVE THE BUS! AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"_

_The poor bus driver steered the bus away from the bus stop, as the hijacker demanded._

_Yuki saw the other passenger fidgeting on their chair. Some threw a pity glance at her. Well, she just went out for a date with her girlfriend, and her she is, becomes a hostage for a crazy hijacker. Not to mention, he smells awful._

_"Look, if you trying to do something funny, you don't want to know what I could do to you." whispered the man. His breath stink as well._

_The man threaten the entire bus that he would blow up anyone's head if they tried to do something unpleasant for him. He demanded some money from the police. And for them to grant him freedom. Looks like he's an escaped prisoner. Too bad, he choose to escape today._

_Yuki began sweating. It was hot. And she was scared. Scared to the death. She never imagined this would ever happened in her life. She liked action movies, yes, but now she would think twice whether she want to be in one personally._

_What should I do?_

_No, nothing she could do. She could try to break free from the man using some judo moves, but no, she's extremely weak. __She never won at hand wrestling, it always an instant kill every time actually._

_Bite him? That's her current best option. But what should she do after that. She couldn't escape. Even if she does, what will happen to the other passengers._

_She could just wait. Wait for help to arrive. If no one screwed up, everything would be okay. And that's definitely what's not going to happen that day._

_There was a kid. Elementary student, who started wailing. It was disturbing. But no one cared, no, they were too scared to move. And like how Yuki predicted, the mad was mad. He threatened the kid, which didn't help. He lost his temper, he pointed out the gun to the kid._

_One shot, and it would be over. No, Yuki won't let that happen. She bit the man, as hard as she could. And she ran towards the kid. The prisoner screamed. Yuki ripped his skin, not only bit him. She was glad she listened to her mother to brush her teeth as clean as possible. It made her teeth strong._

_But maybe, she shouldn't be glad._

_The man was furious. He pointed the gun to her. Yuki hugged the kid tightly, and shut her eyes. She never opened her eyes again._

"So, our date postponed. Forever." Rena finished her story. A streak of tear made its way out of her eyes, down to her check before hanging on her chin to drop to the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Yuko, she was startled, surprised, shocked, mixed feeling of desperation and fear.

Rena stayed silent. How could she tell her?

"Why, Rena?" Yuko shook Rena's shoulder, she's crying now.

"I can't. I can't tell you."

"Why?"

Again, Rena fell silent.

"Nee, do you want to hear me singing?"

Yuko was startled once more time. Singing? She loves Rena's voice. But it was not a condition for you to sing.

"It's not th-"

Rena started singing. It was their song. Moon's Smile.

Yuko lost in words. She missed this. Miss this song so badly.

This was their song. Yuko who came up with the idea, Rena who wrote the lyrics, and Yuki who made the music. Together, they played it, turned it into a harmony. Harmony of a three.

Rena stopped. The song had finished. Her last song.

She turned around to find Yuko sobbing.

It broke her heart. Yuko looks best when smiling.

"Yuko-senpai, please don't cry. You're the better smiling."

Yuko looked up and met Rena's eyes. She tried to smile. She did. But forced.

"That's better."

The moment of silent came back as they sat on the ground, hand in hand, head looked up, staring at the moon.

The moon was full that day. And it was big. It looked like you could take it with your hand.

"Yuko."

"Rena?"

"It's time for you to go."

Again, Yuko startled.

"Go? Where?"

Rena let out a bitter smile.

"To the sky."

"What do you mean?"

Yuko furrowed her eyebrows. It was not a time to play with words.

"You're dead, Yuko. Right after the graduation, you got hit by a truck. You didn't make it."

Widen in shock, Yuko's eyes almost left its socket.

"I… am dead? Impossible!"

"Yes you are. You are floating all the time here."

"Impossible. If I'm dead, how can you see m-"

Yuko gasped. She definitely forgot that Rena could she ghost, and interact with it. That's why she was bullied back in school time.

"Go, Yuko. You have spent too much time here. This is not your place."

Yuko stared Rena in disbelief. She never realized she's dead. But slowly her memories came back. The moment of their graduation, and the accident. She found herself in the city. Then have the urge to meet Rena. Found out she is not singing anymore. And she confronted her.

"I…"

"Go! You'll be okay. You can meet Yuki there. I'll be fine here."

Slowly, Yuko felt she was disappearing.

"No! What about you?!"

"I'll be okay. I've managed to life by myself for 10 years, you know. It will be fine."

Yuko stared at Rena. She will miss her. She will miss those mismatched brown eyes, she will miss her shy reaction, she will miss her singing voice. But she has to go. It's not her place, anymore. She should go. And she did.

"Good-bye."

They both smile. A farewell then.

_Goodbye my sun._

_Goodbye my star._

_Goodbye my moon._


End file.
